Posted: Aug 2nd 2010, 11:05 AM
FinallyGotOne,
First, welcome to 1911.
A quick search on the Rock Island Armory 1911A1 produces a $480
MSRP on a new model with retail going about $410 for a Parkerized/one magazine copy which is what it seems you have. Add in 4 more cheap mags at $15 a pop, a holster at $30,
FFL paperwork fee for the new one of $25, and tax and you would have paid about $550 for it new at a dealer. How many rounds did your friend have through the barrel? I'd say
HE came out smoking on the deal.
As for the quality; From what I could gleam, the
RIA 1911's are manufactured in the Phillipines and marketed in the US. It is a no frills
GI 1911. It is true to the 1911 form, and shoots like any
GI caliber 1911. So, for the price of $500, if this one doesn't have any problems, you've broken into the 1911 game at a good price considering the inflated costs of other 1911s. Remington is about to change all that. They are putting out the R1 shortly at sub-$700 which will bring the cost of all mid-grade 1911s down (hopefully). This may push the
GI level 1911s down even further. We'll see.
